Happy Friday my friends! Still traveling, sorry for the delay in posting but internet (wifi) in some areas has been pathetic. We’re still in Indiana as my oldest has her final freshman exam this morning and then we head out and make our pilgrimage back to Pennsylvania. It’s been so much fun exploring Detroit and their vegan scene. And of course moving Sydney out of her dorm, taking her friends out to dinner and being with her again makes my heart happy. So I apologize for my absence but these little bites will make up for it! Promise. Easy. Fast. A chocolate punch without refined sugar and junky ingredients.

I made these last week at a girl’s event at Athleta. The girls made these with my supervision… and had so much fun! In fact, several sent me pics of the girls recreating in their own kitchens. They’re chocolatey and decadent without being overtly sweet. Packed with protein and nutrients… these aren’t just a treat but one with a nutritional punch. I hope you enjoy!

Pineapple coconut smoothie bowl. Originally, this bowl was just a tropical delicious breakfast. Now, per my naturopath, I’ve been making these daily as a snack or even dinner. My allergies are in full bloom, thanks tree mold, and she highly recommends that I eat pineapple daily…[Read more…]

A vegan charcuterie board, really? Yes! As spring approaches, gatherings will start to fill the calendar and preparing a charcuterie board is an essential appetizer for gatherings. Traditionally filled with cheese and cured meats, my spin includes plenty of raw and cooked vegetables, nuts and nut-based cheeses. The beautiful thing is that you can prepare ahead of time, fill with what you have on hand and is always well-received by guests who have special dietary needs. And before we begin, charcuterie boards are also a fun meal idea if you’re having a date night in or a movie night with friends – so be flexible in the size of your board you’re planning. Food should be easy, comforting and good for you.

Good morning my friends and happy Monday! Its the beginning of a whole new week so let’s get it started off on the right foot. This smoothie is so good and has been my go-to for the past 2 weeks.

One of the most common concerns when going vegan is of course, where do you get your protein. A great protein powder helps boost post workout along with providing your essential and non essential amino acids, BCAA’s that recovering muscles need. This smoothie is so good and can fool any kid-detective looking for spinach in his/her smoothie. Zucchini blends down to a creamy texture. Plus zucchini has anti-inflammatory properties, high potassium, helps digestion along with being a great source of B vitamins. Plus I find smoothies are easier to digest after a workout so my stomach is happier. I hope you give this recipe a try and report back letting me know what you think. This recipe makes one big smoothie (for me) or two smaller (for kids). Enjoy!

I hate to begin a post with an apology but I have 2! First, I’m sorry I’ve been relatively MIA on posting. Getting back into a working groove, standing for hours post knee replacement has been taking me time. Second, the lighting today, due to an ice storm, isn’t working with me so the pics aren’t my best but hey you’re here for the recipe after all, right?

It’s been a year since I’ve posted. Well, not exactly but it feels like forever! So where have I gone you may ask?

Well I opted to finish up my cooking for clients the week before Christmas; just in time to celebrate my birthday. We went to DC to see the Cav’s play, shop & eat our way through Georgetown. ALL OF US! It was so nice to have our college girl home again. Then Christmas and the company arrived. Food. Faith. Presents. All on repeat. Then I have to admit, on Christmas night, our tree and all decorations were put away and life was good.

Why the rush to end the holiday? Well Santa brought me a new partial knee replacement. I had my surgery on the 29th. If worrying about that wasn’t enough, couple that with my oldest & my husband both getting sick. You see, I wasn’t allowed to get sick for 2 weeks prior to surgery. Needless to say I lived in a bubble. Ha.

Surgery went really well. Stay over in the hospital one evening and fast forward 17 days to today. I’m back to the gym, lifting upper body. I can walk sans limping. I can drive. And each day it gets better. Amazing, right?

So I’ll stop on my knee update & move on to this recipe. The flu is hitting & hitting hard. I’ve been making this elixir/tonic whatever you wish to call it all fall/winter to keep us all healthy. Knock wood it’s working! It’s strong. Be prepared but it’s packed with vital nutrients and vitamins to keep your immunity in tip top shape. Team that up with washing your hands every second you get & hopefully we all survive this winter.

Happy Fall? As I sit here typing up this recipe it’s a sweltering 90 degree day. Funny enough, it’s been really hot here since fall arrived. BUT this weekend… THIS weekend the weather cools down. I’ll refrain from jumping up and down until I’m putting on my cozy sweaters and leggings.

To jumpstart my fall feelings, I ran over to my local farm stand & grabbed some apples. I immediately knew I would try this recipe out (adapted from my berry recipe here) . I made a few changes but it was heavenly. The aroma is truthfully all I needed today, alongside cranking my air conditioning up, to be quite honest. Please note my tips below to ensure that the apples cook nicely. Okay, let’s go!

Oh this recipe has been long & coming. I’m sorry for the wait if you follow me on Instagram, mainly my instastories. I shared this 2 weekends ago and then life happened. I’m finally dedicating my afternoon to re-creating it, changes made and photographing it. It is heavenly & I may have eaten this for lunch today (no shame in my game).

Peaches are plentiful and work perfectly in this crumble however you can adapt this recipe to use seasonal fruit that you have on hand. Think apple crumble next month through the fall. I’m still secretly hoping I can get cherries at a good price tomorrow at my farmer’s market to make a cherry version. Whatever you have… it will work!

This dish is perfect right from the oven and topped with either vegan ice cream or as we did, So Delicious coconut whip. Warm and absolutely bursting with flavor. I also love using super ripe fruit so you don’t have to use a lot of extra sugar. Who’s with me?

I’m still surprised that we are in the last few days of August. School has started for both of my girls and life is settling in. I really do love fall & look forward to cooler temps, cozy sweaters and big mugs of tea around the fire.

Well hello there friends & happy almost 4th of July! I hope you have tons of fun plans of being outside at the beach, lake or pool surrounded by your favorite people & of course, awesome food! We have some super fun plans so make sure you follow me on Instagram and my stories.

About two weeks ago my good friend (who lives across the country from me) called and wanted to mix up my diet again. She’s a trainer/registered dietitian & does this sporadically. She kept me super lean post surgery last year so count me in! Oats. I needed to add them back to my breakfast (I intermittent fast so this is normally around 1030 or 11 am) and I have to admit — I’ve missed oats. I always gravitated towards them in the sweltering summer months in prior years & I’m happy again to have these.

Happy Monday & May! I know winter officially ended several weeks ago but when May arrives… it always seems real. We did survive another winter! Hallelujah!

This weekend my husband was making his beloved cereal and I thought I would share my favorite on here with you all because I’ve neglected to do this in the past. I love this cereal – it’s awesome soaked overnight in your favorite non-dairy milk. Oats are so good for your body – slowly digesting- therefore keeping you satiated & packed with fiber. With the added nuts and seeds for healthy fats – this breakfast sets you up for success all day long. This muesli is also perfect atop your favorite yogurt or ice cream (non-dairy of course). This recipe is fail-safe so even if you aren’t passionate about cooking – this recipe is super easy! Plus this one is great to pack up and ship or gift to teachers/friends etc.

We’re hosting a big brunch in June and this will for-sure on my yogurt bar! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!